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Monthly Archives: March 2018

My partners and I have worked on the MagLev system for a long time building and creating and all the MagLev steps. And it was fun so have fun learning!

One of the problems my group and I faced is too much tape. At first we had a little tape then the tape was not holding the magnet steady so we decided on the car to put more tape. So we put more tape on and then we didn’t think it would float over the track because it was to heavy with all the magnets and tape. We tested it and it did not work it was to heavy so we ended up having for the track was two long strip magnets and they went on the sides and the car the same we cut two little strip magnets from the big ones and we taped them to the sides to like the track. My final track that I made was two strip magnets taped on to the paper. And for final car my 2 partners and I cut little strip magnets up, and we did two of the little strips and we taped them on the sides just like we did for the track. I think this worked because It floated over the track and we kept on putting marbles on top of the cup that was on the car with the car over the track floating over the track and pushing it and seeing if it would float and it did we got 28 marbles in the cup.

I have realize that working with partners has helped me, I don’t know how I could do it by myself. For example, If I had to do it by myself then it would be hard because I would never finish and my partners sometimes give me tips and help me.

One thing I learned from this Engineering design process is to never put a lot of tape on because it makes it to heavy.And to not put a lot of magnets too because that also makes it heavy.

Another reason why I like to have partners is because you don’t have to do it all on your own so it makes it easier for you.

What are Repel and Attract ? Attract is when it comes to the thing and Repel is when it pushes away from it.I hope you enjoyed my blog post hope you had fun reading it !

Did you know that in my class we worked on a maglev transportation system? Well, our whole class was split into groups of three. In each group all 3 kids would work together to create a good plan. With this plan we would try to make a piece of foam levitate. On the piece of foam was going to be a cup and in that cup each group was going to put marbles. I think my group did really well. I think this because our maglev train was able to hold 42 marbles and it probably could have held a few more marbles. But we stopped it because it started to get a little heavy. We improved are maglev system by putting the ring and disc magnets under the strip magnets and put one big strip magnet on the left and right. After that we put a magnet on each corner of the foam and then we put a little amount of tape. So when we tested to see how many marbles it could hold it levitated very high. I think this plan worked because we made the vehicle (foam) lighter so it was able to levitate higher. I didn’t really like to work with partners because I think it would of been better because you can use your intelligence to help yourself build a maglev transportation system yourself. Also you can learn more by building it yourself because you wouldn’t have people helping you so you can keep testing and learn how to use magnets correctly.

The improvements that we made to our train was, we made the magnets on the train look the same as the track so our cart had two strip magnets on the side and the same with the track so it would float better because it would be lined up because before it was not lined up.

Our final track happened when Nash said, “We should put more strip magnets on our track to make the force stronger.” so we did that and then it floated 3 more inches and when we put a cup with 36 marbles inside. I think it worked because because we lined the cart and the track together and because we put more strip magnets so it made the force stronger.

What I learned about maglev trains is that if they are not floating it is because: the magnets can be facing the wrong way or because the magnets’ force is not strong enough. I also learned that EDP, Engineering Design Process helps because at first i didn’t think that it would help that much, but it did because if we didn’t have it well… we would be lost. Lost completely because we would be going in the wrong order. For example, we may have started building without working through our plan.

I think working with a group helps you a lot because when you work with a group you will all have different ideas but when you put all your ideas together it makes it be one super good idea. Because look what Nash did! He made the train repel more, and if we did not have Nash, we would never be able for the cart to hold 36 marbles. So it is helpful to work with a group.

My group has finished the ask,imagine,plan, and create stages and now we are on the improve stage.The improvements that I made to the train were improving the design and also improving thetrack. We improved the track by taking out the middle strip because we couldn’t fit two rows of ring magnets in between on strip magnet in the middle and one on each side of the box. So we took out the middle strip magnet so that we could fit two rows of strip magnets.

Our groups final train and track were had two strip magnets on each side because we had a problem with the magnets earlier. The problem was that the magnets were not facing the same sides and poles so we tried to fix it but we ran out of time so our final design was the strip magnets. The final design of our transportation system was less complicated and less hard to build but it did cary marbles and miss badurski said that if it carried at least a marble, and it still levitated, it would count as being successful, our group carried eight marbles.

I learned from the process that it is okay to mess up because you can always improve the design and you can always make it better. I learned that maglev trains levitate and can go very fast. I learned that the E D P helps you build the transportation system and help improve a design if you need to. When you work in a group, everyone has ideas for building the transportation system. More ideas, the better.

An improvement me and my partners made is we did the same pattern we did on the track on the bottom of the train. Another improvement me and my partners made was we had to flip over the magnets because the magnets attracted and did not repel. The last improvement me and my partners made is we put disk magnets above the strip magnets to make the train float higher and it worked.

The track had strip magnets along the sides and then we put disk magnets on top of the strip magnets. The train had two short strip magnets on the side and that made it float higher. Also we made it so the train matched the track. Also our design repels from north and north poles and not the south and south poles.

In the process I learned that working with a group is better because everyone has an idea and if one fails you can use the other one. Working with a partner is good because sometimes the magnet flips over when you put it down but a partner can hold it. The last good thing about having a partner is you can combined ideas to make a better one.

I am going to tell you in this blog how our maglev train succeeded. When we were done with the maglev system for the first time and we tested it it did not work. Some improvements we made were we took out the middle track and only used the side tracks. The problem with the middle track was it was making the cart to heavy so it would not levitate. Another improvement we changed was putting only one layer of magnets on the cart. We did this improvement because it was not floating high.

When we were done with the track and train the track had 3 layers of strip magnets on the sides but not in the middle. Our train had to little strip magnets then we tested it and it was not floating high so we put an even smaller one on top of the medium strip magnets. I think this train was successful because it did not have a lot of weight on it.

When I did the maglev train it was hard at the beginning being in a group because two people wanted to do one thing and another two people wanted to do another thing. But at the end we sort of figured it out we had to agree on different things to make it work.

In this paragraph you will read about the problem that me and my partners faced and how we became successful. First we have to check what sides the magnets were on because the magnetic field will only work if the magnets are both on the same side. So when we figured that out we put three magnets on the track one in the middle and one on each side. So then we did the same thing on our vehicle. But when we tried that it did not work. So then our teacher Ms.Badurski told us that maybe we did not need the strip magnet in the middle. So we took the middle strip magnets off then our vehicle floated. So our strategy was to put two strip magnets on the way ends of our vehicle and we put the other two strip magnets on the way ends of our track. So the two magnets on the sides will match up with each other and sense all of our magnets were on the north side and if the magnets are on the same side they repel. So with all of that it made our vehicle floated across the track! By doing all of that work that I told you about in this first paragraph that is the problem we faced and how we became successful!

To improve our track and vehicle we did the same thing but we just added more magnets on top of other magnets. So first we put one more layer on then we put another layer on. so we did the same thing just with more magnets our vehicle floated hire so it holds more weight and it makes our vehicle stronger and better. We also thought of some other strategies too like with ring or disc magnets. But we figured that the strategy that I told you guys about is probably the best and easiest way to improve our vehicle. So we ended up doing that strategy that I told you guys about. Also when we did it our vehicle floated hire and it could hold more weight so it can hold more marbles. We want to try and get the most marbles in the dixie cup on our vehicle and we ended up with 28 marbles. Maybe we could of had more if we added more layers of strip magnets. So there will be more power and more power is better so we could hold more marbles in the cup on our vehicle. Also not only did our vehicle have to float it also had to be able for someone to push it across the track and it had to still be floating and holding all of the marbles. But before we did that we tried to use ring magnets to improve are track and vehicle. But it did not work! Then we kepted thinking and thinking then we just tried everything with ring magnets and it did not work! So that is how we figured out that the problem was the ring magnets. That is how we figured out that improving strategy that I told you about in this second paragraph. That is how we improving our transportation system so it would work.

I liked working with partners because they thought of ideas and if we had a problem they would help us fix problems that we could not figure out. My partners also helped me put everything together. They also helped me pick which magnets and what strategy that we should use for our maglev transportation system. They also had great ideas to improve like the one that I told you guys about in paragraph 2. We also thought that maybe our vehicle would be to heavy but we tried it anyway and it worked. One of the problems that me and my partners faced was after we did the design then we improved it did not work then we figured out the problem. The problem was that one of the magnets on the track was on the south side! So we just turned the magnet over to the north side then it worked! Our vehicle may have been more heavy than last time but it held more marbles and the more marbles our vehicle can hold and still be able for someone to push the vehicle across the track is better! With all of that super hard work that me and my partners did we ended up with a few different amounts of numbers for the marbles in the cup on our vehicle. But actually I think that the marbles filled up the cup and we had to start to put some of the marbles on our vehicle! Well with all of that hard work that we did are final number of marbles was 28! Also our first score of the number of marbles was I think about fourteen or maybe it was fifteen. So we really improved our vehicle sense the first time that we got our vehicle float and our vehicle to be able to float and with someone pushing the vehicle across the track and our vehicle is still floating. So we definitely improved our vehicle a lot! That is all of the reasons why I love working, creating, deciding, problem solving, and improving with partners.

My group and I improved by putting only one strip magnet on each side of the piece of paper that was the track, and putting one little strip magnet on each side of the foam, which was the vehicle. The time that my group failed was when we put all strip magnets next to each other and only one magnet on each side of the foam. The second time my group failed is when we didn’t test what side poles the magnets were on. I think the last one was successful because we tested what sides the magnets are on and we only put one strip magnet on each side.The poles had to be north facing north.

I thought working with a group is helpful because if someone didn’t have a successful idea the other person can add something that maybe will get your plan a little better. I also thought that the maglev transportation system was very fun. I think it was fun because we got to test what side all the magnets are on and the most fun part is when we started to build our maglev transportation system, and then test it to see how many marbles it held.

Our group had many problems through process. First we had to check what poles the magnet was on. When we figured that out we put two strip magnets on two sides and and we did the same thing on our vehicle. But that did not work so Mrs.Badurski said to put more weight on the track and that got it to levitate on the strip magnets. Also she said to use a bar magnet to see if they were on the right poles and if they weren’t then flip the magnets which took a very long time.

Our final track had two strip magnets on both sides and disc magnets on top of the strip magnets and ring magnets on in the middle of the track. Also the bottom of our train we used two strip magnets that we cut so it lined up with the track which made it levitate. I think it was successful because we got marble to levitate on the train we also got it to go all the way to the other side of the track with a teeny push.

I learned how to make magnets repel and attract and I even learned a lot about my partners .I learned that maglev trains float by repelling and I Learned that England and Germany are fighting for the fastest maglev train that can still be efficient. I learned that in a team everybody has a very special position in the group and if you leave someone out your train won’t be as good than it could if you included everybody.

I have completed the ask, imagine, plan, create and now I am on the improve station. I made a few improvements, I made a final track and I learned a lot from this process.

One of the few improvements was that we needed 3 long strip magnets and three short strip magnets. For the track I lined up 1 long strip magnet at both of the edges of the box, and 1 long strip magnet in the middle of the box. For the vehicle we needed three short strip magnets. 1 short strip magnet on the both edges of the vehicle and 1 short strip magnet in the middle of the vehicle. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. We realized that it didn’t work because, the middle magnet on the track was not exactly lined up with the other middle magnet on the vehicle. Which caused it not to levitate.

The final vehicle and track was easy to make. But it didn’t come to us for a very long time. My final track needed 2 long strips and 2 short strips. For the final track, I needed to put 2 long strips on both edges of the track. So for the vehicle I used 2 short strips on the sides to match. Then I tested it out. Guess what, it worked. I thought and thought why this vehicle and track was successful and finally I knew. The track and vehicle had to be lined up so it could repel easily. This design held 14 marbles. I was impressed.

During the process I learned a lot. I learned about maglev trains. Maglev trains have to match the poles of the track so that it will float in the air. I also learned that the real Maglev Train would not be able to float unless something was holding it, just like the box was holding my Maglev Train. I learned about the Engineering Design Process and how it’s used. First comes the ask process. Then comes the imagine, the plan, create and improve. I learned that when you work with a group they might help you understand something you don’t know. Or something you knew about the wrong way. I personally think that when you work with a group you have more minds to get to work. All around you have people to help you.

To conclude, making final improvements and designing our track. Furthermore, learning, contributing and understanding the process of the E.D.P. is really important. Maybe someday you will construct your own Maglev Transportation System. Be sure to work with someone.